|
., ,.
<br /> Park now bears Y' , . ., r�
<br /> Ka1apuya name7
<br /> �y e
<br /> II Ceremony: Whilamut Natural Area isisia � '
<br /> christened with drumming and singing. iii ' ,F
<br /> By GARRET JAROS1 ' , 4
<br /> The Register-Guard
<br /> ka""^
<br /> .
<br /> By tribal elder Esther Stutzman's estimate, it's been 150 r a
<br /> years since a Kalapuya Indian song has been heard along ,.'
<br /> the banks of the Willamette River. But that changed Satur-
<br /> day as about 200 people celebrated the new name of a THOMAS BOYD/The Register-Guard
<br /> nature preserve in East Alton Baker Park. A Kalapuya drum group called Splacta Alla sings at
<br /> The preserve will be called Whilamut, the Kalapuya Saturday's naming ceremony at Alton Baker Park.
<br /> word for"where the river ripples andruns fast."
<br /> The name, pronounced wheel-a-moot, is an effort to The singing dipped from high-shrieking cries to deep,
<br /> honor the Kalapuya people who were the original inhabit- resonant tones.
<br /> ants of the Willamette Valley. "This is a very significant time for the Kalapuya," said
<br /> The Whilamut Natural Area is 237 acres of open space Stutzman, who held an eagle feather fan and wore a
<br /> linking Eugene and Springfield. It's bordered on the west buckskin dress detailed with abalone and dentalium shells.
<br /> by Leisure Lane, west of the Autzen footbridge, and on the "We want to sing for you a welcoming song or spirit
<br /> east by Aspen Street in Springfield. The preserve has song."
<br /> about three miles of river frontage. The tribe, once the largest in Western Oregon with an
<br /> Stutzman, of Yoncalla, presided over the ceremony, estimated 15,000 members in the valley between Roseburg
<br /> which began with a traditional drum circle and singing.
<br /> The drum beat is believed to link all beings at the heart. Turn to KALAPUYA,Page 4C
<br /> K A L A P U Y A Continued from Page 1C
<br /> and Wilsonville, now numbers the
<br /> preserve. For the Kalapuya, when former Eugene City Manager
<br /> about 300. Forced from its lands in that means doing things five times, Jim Johnson signed a proclamation
<br /> the 1850s, the tribe isn't recognized a number special to valley tribes, of approval in February 2001, his
<br /> by the government, so most mem- she said. Five times the crowd said last official act in office, said Char-
<br /> bers are enrolled in the Siletz and Whilamut, each time separated by lotte Behm, one of the citizen com-
<br /> Grand Ronde tribes. five drumbeats. mittee members who first ap-
<br /> Tribal members once hunted, Afterward, Stutzman said the proached Stutzman.
<br /> fished and gathered camass bulbs ceremony was "one of the most re- "The biggest thing I love about
<br /> on the preserve land. warding and significant days that it is that a citizen group can make
<br /> "We believe that all things are I've experienced in a long time. It's a change in the community," she
<br /> sacred, the earth, the water, the a first, and it honors the Kalapuya said.
<br /> animals," Stutzman said before tell- People." "The other thing that's signifi-
<br /> ing the creation story of the The idea to use a Kalapuya word cant is the white culture and the
<br /> Kalapuya. to name the area began four years Indian culture coming together. I
<br /> The Kalapuya believe the world ago with a conversation between think this will lead to a lot more of
<br /> is made of stone, she said, and that Stutzman and members of the East those connections."
<br /> the first woman lived on top of Alton Baker Park Citizen Planning In a related project, "talking
<br /> Stone Mountain. Her name, spelled Committee. They worked with stones" made of native basalt boul-
<br /> phonetically, was Leelu. She came Eugene and Willamalane parks ders and bearing Kalapuya words
<br /> down from the mountain and left staff. with their English translations will
<br /> her children, the Kalapuya ances- The dream became a reality be placed throughout the preserve.
<br /> tors, to be cared for by a wolf while
<br /> she roamed the world, leaving grass
<br /> and life wherever she stepped.
<br /> Stutzman then made offerings:
<br /> First she sprinkled tobacco on the SEPTEMBER 8, 2002
<br /> ground because it is of the earth
<br /> and its smoke is used to carry "Park now bears Kalapuya name" p.1C
<br /> prayers and thoughts to the creator.
<br /> Then she put a cedar bundle on the continued to "Kalapuya" p.4C
<br /> ground to symbolize forever. Then
<br /> she burned a smudge stick of sage
<br /> asking for permanence, respect and
<br /> kindness among all people, their an-
<br /> cestors and future generations.
<br /> "May we always live in peace
<br /> and smile at each other," she said.
<br /> And then Stutzman asked the
<br /> crowd to join her in the naming of
<br />
|